To tell you that I gave blood today?

[MadameDeveria]

and to ask that if you haven’t done it before (and are able to), you make an appointment to give blood?

You usually have to book at least a couple of months in advance.

Today I made my 30th donation!

I tried to give blood yesterday but for the second time in a row they cancelled my appointment half and hour beforehand “due to unforeseen circumstances”.

☹️ Oh that’s so frustrating! Fortunately I think that’s only happened to me once in all my time donating.

Just a note to say thank you. I'm not eligible for donating but I had to have blood on standby for me when I had an operation not long ago because they thought I'd need it, so I'm grateful to the person who donated that.

I'd love to give blood - the needles don't bother me, I'm happy to sit there while they do their thing - but I'm constantly anaemic so I can't, which is really annoying.

I’ve never had to book months in advance to donate so it may depend on where you live. I am in London and when I get the reminder that I’m eligible to donate again, I can usually book in the same week if I have time available to do it.

I give regularly.
I lost my husband to leukaemia when he was 29.
I guess I feel like if I don't give who will??

I agree @TheFlis I have had several appointments cancelled at very short notice-whilst on the same day getting emails asking me to donate-feels very frustrating and while I do understand the occasional glitch I feel like it happens too often and if it happens to someone for their first time it may put them off booking again.

edited to say I love that they message to tell you where your blood has gone-makes it feel so real and is very satisfying thinking of the person you have helped...

Yeah, same. I'm O- but my blood is probably all weak and pale.

Well done. I’m on my 65th and have just got DD started.

I give regularly too but it is tough to find slots where we are! I'm O+

well done.
i used to donate but it always made me feel dreadful and terribly drained the following day. So I’d need to make sure I just had a lazy day set up for the day after donating. Due to both getting childcare whilst donating and not being up to feeling like crap with a toddler the following day I haven’t donated since having my DS. Will go back to it once kids are much older.

That’s brilliant! Well done.

I’m on my 8th, having only just started, at an advanced age!

Dd and Dh are needle phobic so I’m doing it for the team. 😬

That's amazing.

I'd love to give blood but they've never wanted my rare blood group. I am on the register but it's on a 'we'll call you' basis. And they never have and I can't just book in. So I've never experienced it.

I'm not allowed as I had to have transfusion after surgery😢

Well done Op. I had cancer and was given three pints of blood which made me feel so much better, I very much regret that I can't donate and repay my debt

30 pints is amazing. I donated as soon as I was 18, but then after donating 23 pints I needed a blood transfusion myself after a major surgery. My then 12yr old DD also received a pint after her first period wouldn’t stop and put her in emergency blood transfusion levels. So neither of us can donate again (or ever in DD’s case) but her dad has also given many pints so glad we have donated. I have always wondered why more people don’t donate (excluding those who can’t of course).

Are you anaemic on the finger tip test, or generally anaemic?

They have recently changed how they test for anaemia because they were turning away do many people.
If your blood doesn't sink in the solution, rather than prick another finger and put it in the machine, they take blood from your arm.
Apparently, this has proven more accurate and allowed more people to donate.

Unless you have been told not to try again, it may be worth trying again.

Only 2% of eligible people donate, that is shockingly low ☹️

I managed to complete 54 donations before being told my veins are no longer suitable ( they changed the rules ! ) .
think it should be compulsory, an hour out of your day , even once a year for everyone who is able to do so & uses the NHS , but also think they should make it a lot easier to do so … trying to get an appointment was like pulling teeth on several occasions over the years .

I've donated 25 pints so far (last one about 2 weeks ago!).
My dog is also signed up to be a blood donor, so it's definitely in the family 🤣. He had his first session a few months ago. As it was his first one, we didn't get to the donation part (normal on a first try), but we're going again in a few weeks.

@cryinglaughing is it really only 2%? That is shockingly low!

I was the same but a multi vitamin with iron from boots
or supermarket taken over the last decade meant I never had another low reading ever again!

Well done you! I’m O- so always donate. Think I’ve done it about 25 times now. Of course, I only go for the orange club biscuits at the end

I can’t donate blood, plasma, stem cells etc due to a chronic condition but I admire the people like you who can and do. Most people receiving blood are in the most unimaginable circumstances and this could truly happen to anyone which is why it’s so important to give if you can.

Yes, it said on my letter from when I donated about 3 weeks ago it was 2%.

They don't seem to campaign to encourage more people to give, maybe they have found it isn't worth the financial outlay for the amount of new donors that sign up.

It's a shame more people don't think to do it.

Well done to all the donors on here!

I’ve donated since I was 21, had a break for a few years when the kids were small, but think I’ve done 35.
I’ve recently switched to giving plasma, which you can do every 4 weeks rather than 16 for blood

i have done 55 donations. If anyone has been anaemic try taking spatone regularly, will fix the aneamia. I’m O- so they chase me if i am even a day late to donate.